“… Who
foretold this long ago, who declared
it from the distant past? Was it not
I, the Lord? And there is no God
apart from me, a righteous God and a
Savior; there is none but me.” -
Isaiah 45: 21
Prophecy Reveals the
Process of Salvation
Those who study Bible
prophecy study the deeper things of
God. The beauty of prophecy is that
we have an opportunity to understand
God’s grand purposes and
timeless ways, even before
history records His actions.
Unfortunately, many Christians
dismiss the importance of prophecy
without understanding anything about
the subject. I often hear,
“Prophecy has nothing to do with
salvation, so why bother with
it?” While it may be true that
prophecy does not bring salvation,
the fulfillment of prophecy has
everything to do with faith in
God’s Word. Isn’t this one
of the object lessons from
Noah’s flood? If the study of
salvation reveals the justice and
mercy of God, then the study of
prophecy reveals the process through
which God fulfills His Word.
God Amplifies the
Matrix
About fifty years
after God gave King Nebuchadnezzar
and Daniel the vision of the metal
man, Daniel received a second vision.
This second vision is important for
several reasons. First, Daniel 7 is a
repetition and expansion of Daniel 2.
The vision in Daniel 2 is amplified
in Daniel 7 so that we might better
understand the ways and plans of God.
Second, Daniel 7 is an important
vision because God adds certain
details to the prophetic matrix that
later visions will build upon. Daniel
7 identifies the timing of two events
upon which other prophecies depend.
If the timing of these two events are
overlooked or inaccurately
identified, the other prophecies that
depend upon the timing will not
harmonize. Bible prophecy is
something like a house of cards.
Every new layer depends upon the
strength of the layer beneath it.
The vision in Daniel 2
can be compared to
“sub-flooring,” that is,
the first layer in our prophetic
understanding. Daniel 2 describes a
chronological sequence of seven
kingdoms that spans more than 2,600
years (605 B.C. to the Second
Coming). If the vision in Daniel 2 is
a sub-flooring, then the vision in
Daniel 7 is the flooring. Daniel 7
lies on top of Daniel 2. (See Chart
3.1.) When bonded together, these two
visions strengthen each other. Both
visions are identical in length
because they cover the same time
period. The “nails” that
hold these two visions together are
the elements within them. The first
four kingdoms described in Daniel 2
perfectly align with the four beasts
described in Daniel 7. Thus, the four
beasts in Daniel 7 are a repetition
and enlargement of the first four
kingdoms presented in Daniel 2.
Carefully notice how repetition and
enlargement is used in Chart 3.1 By
amplifying the elements of each
vision with information from other
visions, God demonstrates the all
important operation of a matrix, and
this matrix makes our prophetic
foundation more secure.
For at least two
reasons, God implemented this
architecture in Daniel so the history
would produce this matrix. First, if the
same kingdom is identified in
different visions with unique
specifications, the chance of
misinterpretation is greatly reduced,
and different views of the same
kingdom expand our understanding
of that kingdom and its duration. For
example, the thighs of bronze in
Daniel 2 represent the same kingdom
as the leopard with four wings in
Daniel 7. (Notice the kingdom of
Grecia in Chart 3.1.) Second, God
established the matrix in Daniel
because He foreknew that He could
build on it 700 years later when He
gave John the visions recorded in
Revelation. In other words, the
matrix established in Daniel is
integral to the book of Revelation.
Daniel 8 Briefly
Introduced
Since we are observing
the use of repetition and
enlargement, allow me to jump ahead
for a moment and add a few more
elements to Chart 3.1 from the
visions in Daniel 8 and 11. The added
data may help you quickly see how the
architecture in Daniel produces a
historical matrix. As the matrix
grows larger, it becomes more
comprehensive. Eventually, every
prophetic item in Daniel and
Revelation will harmoniously fit
within this matrix.
Two years after
receiving the vision recorded in
Daniel 7, God gave Daniel yet another
vision. Even though Babylon had not
fallen at the time of this vision,
Daniel knew that another kingdom
would displace Babylon. During the
vision in Daniel 8, Daniel saw a
great conflict between a ram with two
horns and a goat that had a large
horn protruding out of its head
(maybe something like a unicorn
horn). The angel told Daniel that the
ram represented the rising kingdom of
the Medes and the Persians, and the
two horns of the ram represented its
two kings. In addition, the goat
represented the future kingdom of
Grecia, which would eventually
destroy the kingdom of the Medes and
Persians. The angel told Daniel that
the great horn of the goat
represented the first prominent king
of the Grecian empire that proved to
be Alexander the Great. (Daniel
8:20,21) With this information
in mind, let us consider the first
thousand years (605 B.C. –
A.D.476) of the prophetic matrix that
develops in the book of Daniel.
Daniel 2, 7 and 8
Daniel 11 Briefly
Introduced
Notice how the layers
are adding up. The matrix is becoming
more inclusive. The ram in Daniel 8,
the bear in Daniel 7 and the chest of
silver in Daniel 2 represent the same
entity, Medo-Persia! This matrix
provides a solid footing for all the
prophecies in Daniel and Revelation.
God’s use of repetition and
enlargement puts our prophetic faith
on solid ground. While we are
discussing the expansion and
development of this matrix, let us
jump forward to Daniel’s last
vision, look at Chart 3.3, and add
portions of Daniel 11 to the matrix.
Look at the top rows
on Chart 3.3. Now, review the words
spoken to Daniel during the reign of
Darius the Mede: “Now then, I
tell you the truth: Three more kings
will appear in Persia, and then a
fourth, who will be far richer than
all the others. When he has gained
power by his wealth, he will stir up
everyone against the kingdom of
Greece. Then a mighty king will
appear, who will rule with great
power and do as he pleases.”
(Daniel 11:2,3) History confirms the
rise of these four kings in Persia,
and history confirms the overall
progression of kingdoms presented in
this matrix. God knows the future
before it comes to pass and His Word
cannot fail. The matrix in Chart 3.3
spans more than a 1,000 years –
from the rise of Babylon under
Nebuchadnezzar to the fall of civil
Rome in A.D. 476. Even though the
book of Daniel offers more detail
than this matrix presently shows, a
thousand years of history and
prophecy should be sufficient to
demonstrate that God’s matrix
conforms to a specific architecture!
Remember Rule One?
Repetition and
enlargement are indispensable to the
study of prophecy. No prophecy in
Daniel or Revelation tells a whole
story within itself. In fact,
neither book, Daniel nor Revelation,
tells the whole
story! The visions in both books
interconnect and depend upon each
other. Many Bible teachers today
offer erroneous prophetic conclusions
because they lift prophetic segments
out of their context and this
violates the rules found in the book
of Daniel. Unless the Bible student
has valid rules of interpretation,
truth cannot be determined. The
visions of Daniel and Revelation can
be manipulated in an infinite number
of wrong ways. Remember this: All of
the prophecies in Daniel and
Revelation link to each other, and
together they form one harmonious
matrix.
The matrix teaches us
two things: First, each prophetic
element in Daniel can be tied to a
specific time and location. Second,
the intended meaning of the
prophecies in Daniel and Revelation
is found after we align all of the
elements within the prophecies. A
puzzle is not solved until all of its
pieces are in their right places. The
events described in each prophecy are
the nails that hold all of the layers
together. When the prophetic matrix
of Daniel and Revelation is aligned
correctly, a marvelous prophetic
picture unfolds. Understanding the
big picture is important. The
prophecies of Daniel and Revelation
are not limited to one nation or one
church. Instead, the prophecies of
Daniel and Revelation encompass all
nations, kindred, tongues and people.
God has a predetermined blueprint
that affects everyone on Earth. All
prophetic pieces fit together in an
interlocking way so that every
element in every prophecy is
supported by the elements around it!
This is similar to the arch over a
castle’s doorway. Shaped stones
support the span of the arch because
the architecture design of the
doorway keeps the arch intact. In a
similar way, all of the prophecies in
Daniel support each other through the
architectural design embedded in
Daniel. God designed this feature so
that at the end of time, His people
could have an accurate and
comprehensive understanding of His
plans. Of course, people who dismiss
the importance of prophecy will not
have a clue as to what is going on
when the next prophetic event occurs.
Daniel Saw a Lion,
Bear, Leopard and Terrible Beast
Now that we have
examined the concept of a prophetic
matrix in the book of Daniel, we need
to investigate the details in Daniel
7 and notice how they fit within the
big picture. This vision, as with all
the visions in Daniel, contain few
words, but is full of detail. This
vision is highly important because it
establishes a historical footing for
several other visions. If this
particular vision is misinterpreted,
the intended meaning of Daniel or
Revelation will be derailed.
As the vision begins,
Daniel is looking over a great body
of water. From his vantage point, he
sees four strange beasts rising up
out of the sea. These beasts are
unusual in appearance because they
have strange features added to their
bodies. These strange features
highlight specific characteristics
that help to identify the empires
they represent.
1.
A lion with eagle wings
2.
A bear with ribs in its mouth
3.
A leopard with four wings and four
heads
4.
A monster or terrible beast having
ten horns
To simplify this
vision and its explanation, I have
divided the vision and my commentary
into twelve parts. I hope you will
read and reread each of these parts
until all of the elements are easy to
identify and understand.
Part One:
“In the first
year of Belshazzar king of Babylon
Daniel had a dream and visions of his
head upon his bed: then he wrote the
dream, and told the sum of the
matters. Daniel spake and said, I saw
in my vision by night, and, behold,
the four winds of the heaven strove
upon the great sea. And four
great beasts came up from the sea,
diverse one from the other. The first
was like a lion, and had eagle’s
wings: I beheld till the wings
thereof were plucked, and it was
lifted up from the earth, and made
stand upon the feet as a man, and a
man’s heart was given to
it.” (Daniel 7:1-4, KJV)
Historians say the
first year of Belshazzar was about
552 B.C. If so, this vision occurs
about fifty years after the vision
recorded in Daniel 2. Daniel saw four
great beasts rise up from the sea and
he was told these beasts represented
four empires that would rise at their
appointed time. (Daniel 7:15-16) The
first beast to rise up was a lion,
and it represents the empire of
Babylon. Just as gold is the king of
metals, so the lion is the king of
beasts. The eagle’s wings
indicate a military prowess that none
can escape. The ancients regarded the
eagle’s keen vision and its
ability to swoop down on its prey as
a fitting symbol of military power.
(Deuteronomy 28:49) These
characteristics, no doubt, prompted
the founding fathers of the Unites
States to use the Bald Eagle as a
symbol of military power. As Daniel
watched, the lion lost its power and
ability to subdue nations. In this
vision, the lion received a
man’s heart, a heart that is
subject to vanity, arrogance, and
pride. This transition uniquely
describes the arrogance of the kings
of Babylon. God had to humiliate King
Nebuchadnezzar by taking him from the
throne and giving him the mind of an
animal for seven years because of
pride and arrogance. (Daniel 4)
Unfortunately, subsequent kings of
Babylon did not learn from
Nebuchadnezzar’s humiliation and
Babylon ultimately fell because of
arrogance and vanity. (Daniel 5:22)
Consider the words of
Daniel to King Belshazzar on the last
night of Babylon’s insolence:
“O king, the Most High God gave
your father Nebuchadnezzar
sovereignty and greatness and glory
and splendor. Because of the high
position, he gave him, all the
peoples and nations and men of every
language dreaded and feared him.
Those the king wanted to put to
death, he put to death; those he
wanted to spare, he spared; those he
wanted to promote, he promoted; and
those he wanted to humble, he
humbled. But when his heart
became arrogant and hardened with
pride, he was deposed from his royal
throne and stripped of his glory. But
you his son, O Belshazzar, have not
humbled yourself, though you knew all
this. Instead, you have set yourself
up against the Lord of heaven. You
had the goblets from his temple
brought to you, and you and your
nobles, your wives and your
concubines drank wine from them.
You praised the gods of silver and
gold, of bronze, iron, wood and
stone, which cannot see or hear or
understand. But you did not honor the
God who holds in his hands your life
and all your ways. Therefore he sent
the hand that wrote the inscription.
MENE, MENE, TEKEL, PARSIN This is
what these words mean: Mene: God has
numbered the days of your reign and
brought it to an end. Tekel: You have
been weighted on the scales and found
wanting. Peres: Your kingdom is
divided and given to the Medes and
Persians.’” (Daniel
5:18-28, NIV) The Bible leaves no
wiggle room on the identity of the
lion. Daniel 2:38 say the head of
gold is Babylon, and Daniel 8 tells
us the next kingdom after Babylon is
that of the Medes and Persians.
Therefore, the lion with the
man’s heart is a perfect
representation of Babylon, and
history agrees.
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